Standing on the porch of a house on the outskirts of London that looked nearly identical to the houses around it, Draco wrung his hands together nervously. He'd poised himself to knock twice already but had dropped his hand after a few moments. He'd been standing there long enough to hear the occupants moving inside once or twice. If not, he'd have thought no one was home.

Stealing himself, he swore, "Fuck," and softly tapped his knuckles on the green door.

Silently, he hoped they wouldn't answer. He might have been brave enough to come but he knew he wasn't quite brave enough to do this. Waring with himself, Draco nearly stepped off the porch when the door behind him opened.

"Yes?"

Taking a deep breath, Draco straightened his spine before turning and greeting Hermione's mother with what he hoped was a kind smile.

"Good afternoon. My name is Dr-"

"Draco Malfoy," a gruff voice sounded behind Mrs. Granger. Draco watched as a man, slightly taller than his wife, appeared in the doorway. Draco wanted to be offended that he moved his wife behind him, as if to protect her. Given the dark look he was getting from Hermione's father and that he knew his name, he understood.

"Yes, sir."

"What are you doing here?"

Swallowing thickly, Draco tried to brace himself. "I wanted to introduce myself and apologize for my behavior towards your daughter during my younger years prior to the war."

"Your apology is not accepted."

"Richard-"

"No, Helen, he tormented our daughter and her friends for years. He called her that God's forsaken name, and let's not forget she was tortured in his family home!"

"That is all true," Draco said, raising his hands to show he was not trying to be confrontational. "And I do not easily deserve your forgiveness or Hermione's. She's granted it, and every day, I am unworthy of it, but I am working to earn it."

Richard Granger scoffed, "So that's why you're here. You want to earn her forgiveness."

"No, I want to earn yours. I plan to be in her life as long as she allows me, and that means I'll be around more than you probably want given your reserved attitude towards me. For her sake, I want to try to be cordial with you, to eventually earn your forgiveness and, one day, your respect."

With a determination in her eyes that Draco recognized from Hermione, Helen Granger shoved her way past her husband and extended her hand to Draco.

"Why don't you come in, Draco? I've just put lunch on the table. We can talk."

Taking her hand, Draco let himself smile, "Thank you, Mrs. Granger."

Following her into the house, Draco politely nodded to Mr. Granger as he passed him. Before he knew it, he was seated across from Hermione's parents, none of them touching the sandwiches in front of them.

Reaching into his pocket, Draco held up his other hand in caution when Richard flinched. "My wand is in the sleeve on my arm, not in my coat." At the skeptical look he got in return, Draco continued and withdrew a potion from his inner pocket. "This is veritaserum. It is one of the most powerful truth serums. This is actually illegal for me to have, but my godfather was never a rule follower."

Richard picked up the vial, rotating the vial back and forth as he stared at the clear liquid within.

When he set it back down, the older man sat back in his chair, his arms folded over his chest.

"What does this have to do with anything?"

In response, Draco picked up the small vial and poured the contents into his mouth. Though flavorless, Draco got goose pimples as it took effect. "The amount I just took will last for roughly two hours. You can ask me anything you want, and I will have no choice but to answer honestly."

With her hand on her collarbone, Helen looked taken aback. "Why did you do that?"

"I want to establish trust and given my past, this was the only way to guarantee you my answers are genuine and you don't have to doubt anything I've told you."

There was a beat of silence before Richard gave him a small look of respect. Taking a bite of his sandwich, Richard chewed his bite and took a drink before squaring Draco with a stern look. "Are you here to ask for her hand?"

"Not today. One day I will but not until Hermione and I have established ourselves in our careers and lives. After we've gotten into a strong and healthy place with our relationship. Right now, that is the light at the end of the tunnel."

Richard looked impressed but didn't hesitate, "Does Hermione reciprocate your feelings?"

"I would like to think so. She sleeps in my bed every night, or I hers, and we regularly seek each other out for anything. Sometimes it's just needing peace and other times it's comfort." Eyes wide, he knew his cheeks were tinted pink. Richards's face was now red with anger, and Draco knew it was about the sleeping arrangements. "We only sleep when we share a bed. It helps with the nightmares. She heard past my silencing charms one night, and I pulled her into bed in my delirium. It was the best night's sleep I had in over a year. Then, it became a habit for both of us. We needed each other. We still do. Please ask something else because I don't think I can stop."

Helen giggled, "How is your mother?"

"Over the moon. She and Hermione are practically inseparable most days. Always baking or in the garden. Hermione helped reintroduce her to family members that she had lost contact with because of the war, and now our families are more engrained than ever."

"Does that bother you?"

"Only Weasley."

"You still hate the Weasley's?"

"No," Draco clarified, "Weasley is what I call Ronald. I don't think he and I will ever really see eye to eye or get along. But his family, while chaotic and insane, is surprisingly civilized and wonderfully welcoming and warm. Weasley is still a ginger menace who likes to pretend he's a saint and rainbows shine out his arse."

Richard laughed, "This is amazing." Helen smacked his arm.

"For the sake of transparency, I should tell you that your mother and I have been in contact since Christmas. She's done a lot of the work for you in regarding getting me to understand what happened in the war and keeping me updated on things between you and Hermione. Can you explain what the bond you two share means and how it came to be?"

Draco felt his cheeks flame. Taking a long drink of water he tried, foolhardily, to tame it.

"When Hermione, Potter, and Weasel were brought to my families Manor for questioning during the war, Hermione was tortured by my deranged Aunt. Hermione underwent torture that has sent many adult witches and wizards to the Janus Thickey Ward or outright killed them. Hermione, she was losing it, her mind, she was slipping. I watched, unable to do anything as it happened for fear of my mother or I being killed. My father had mucked things up for us enough, and we were under heavy surveillance to keep us in line. Anyway, Hermione was breaking and she looked at me. I watched her dull eyes focus on me for but a moment before fire lit behind them. I thought it was her hatred of me igniting as she watched me watching her and doing nothing.

"In actuality, it was our bond. Her magic and mine latched onto one another. My magic replenished hers after what my Aunt had done to her. I didn't know it. Hell I only learned of our bond when my godfather and mother intervened." No longer able to look at Helen's eyes, Draco looked at his hands still rested in his lap. "I knew Hermione had a bond. A friend of ours let it slip, and ever since, I've been waring with my feelings with your daughter, thinking I'd fallen in love with her when she was tied to another. So much so that I," cutting himself off he shook his head to try and fight the veritaserum out of shame, "I agreed to entertain an engagement to Astoria Greengrass, the daughter of one of my father's best friends."

"You son of a bitch! You're engaged, and you're here talking about my daughter like you love her!"

"I do love your daughter. She is the love of my life. That is why I entertained the idea of a contract marriage with Astoria. I know what bonds like Hermione has mean. I was raised to wish for one because of how pure they are. They're the stuff muggle authors write about in fairytales. So yes, I latched onto a different future knowing I couldn't rob Hermione of that kind of love with her bonded."

Richard seemed to be placated by that answer and took a deep breath so Draco continued.

"We stopped sharing a bed and our one on one contact without others around became very minimal. So much so that I forced myself to try not to notice her. That's why when she began occluding, I did nothing. To be honest, that's just an excuse. Seeing her occlude scared me and I didn't know what to do about it so I forced myself to do nothing. Then I stopped noticing. I hadn't realized she was doing it continually because I wasn't paying attention. To understand the gravity you need to know that occluding is cutting off your mind to certain things. In Hermione's case, she shut off her emotions."

Helen gasped, her hand grasping her husbands in a tight hold.

"Hermione likely would have kept on if it had not been for Theo. He noticed and immediately took her to my godfather, Professor Snape. When they shocked her out of it, Snape dragged me home to face my mother who gave me a proper tongue lashing and eviscerated me by telling me the truth." Looking up once more Draco looked directly at Richard, "I hurt her again. By not noticing her, I failed to see she was occluding on a daily basis and not just around me. It could have had long term repercussions and I take full responsibility because I know she did it because of me. I broke your daughter when it was the last thing I ever wanted to do because I was willfully blind to her pain-"

The loud thump of a fist hitting the table had Draco stopping but not taking his eyes off the man in front of him.

"You said you did it for her," Richard ground out, "That you did it because of her bond and knowing what it meant."

"Yes."

"How did you not realize it was you the whole time? Hermione knew of it. She would have researched it. She would never have gotten close to you knowing she was bonded to another."

Looking pained, Draco forced his spine straight. "Because I wanted Astoria."

"Explain." Richards teeth were clinched together so hard, Draco was sure they might break.

"Arranged marriages are normal within the pure blood community. Astoria and I grew up knowing we might marry from the time we knew what marriage was. After the war, the Greengrass's, among other friends, came to the Manor often to help us restore it, and Astoria and I got closer. I wanted normalcy. I craved it. So I stuck to what I knew and that was Astoria and the idea of a future we'd be been taught to expect. Despite what was happening with Hermione, I wanted that future and our bond has a physical manifestation. Words that are etched into our skin. Words that tell the other their deepest desire. For Hermione she had my desire on her body. My desire being Astoria and the future that would come with her. Hermione never told me of our bond because she taught that's what her mark, the words, said. She respected my desire and kept a respectable distance."

"While in your bed?"

"Even then," Draco nodded. "She did what she does and acted selflessly. She let me have what I wanted. Even though it hurt her. That I was hurting her. My own desire to have a normal future blinded me. I know when my desire changed, when it became her, but she didn't because she glamoured her mark to so she wouldn't see it and she'd spent so long convincing herself all I wanted was Astoria. My actions with Astoria didn't help. It didn't help that over Christmas, I got jealous and acted like an idiot. That was when I decided to throw it away because I couldn't stand seeing her with another."

"So you used this Astoria?" Helen asked softly.

Draco nodded, "I've apologized, and she, like Hermione, is being too forgiving. She even called me out on it shortly after Christmas, and I begged her to give me a chance to love her. I had to promise not to let her be second fiddle to Hermione, and I tried."

"It all comes full circle."

Draco felt like he'd flown his broom in the middle of a hurricane but the weight on his shoulders felt lighter. They knew everything. They knew that despite his attempts to be a better person, he'd hurt their daughter. He'd bullied her before the war, he didn't help her enough during the war, and he'd hurt her after making amends and trying to be better. They knew that despite all of it, he was there and he was going to be there as long as Hermione let him because it was what she deserved and he would do whatever was in his power to prevent her from being hurt by him again.

"That is quite a lot," Richard broke the silence. Methodically, he took a bite of his sandwich and made a show of chewing it while both his wife and Draco watched. When he was done he took another bite before looking at Draco. "You have a lot of gall coming here after all of that."

"Richard," Helen scolded.

"Why are you really here?"

Draco's brow furrowed. "I already told you. I want to earn your forgiveness."

"For Hermione?"

"Yes."

"Does she know you're here?"

"No. She would probably be mortified if she knew."

If Draco wasn't mistaken, he'd sworn he saw Richard smirk. "I can't say this lunch as improved my impression of you but I respect that you came and spoke to us."

Helen smiled at her husband before turning it to Draco. "You have a lovely smile Draco. Have you ever seen a dentist?"

"There are no teeth healers in the magical world."

"Do you use a toothbrush?" She sounded honestly curious and it made Draco smirk.

"I do now. Hermione explained them to me, and I took one of her extras. It's a very odd feeling, but I don't mind it."

"Did she tell you about flossing?"

"Yes! But we have mints for that. Has Hermione ever gotten you some?"

"No!"

"I'll owl you a bundle from Honeydukes. She says they're an excellent magical alternative."

"Helen," Richard looked to his wife, "May I continue my interrogation?"

"I think not," she replied in a very Hermione-like way. "I think I'd like to get to know who Draco is now and not just what he's trying to grow from." Giving her husband a look that said to behave, Helen gave her attention back to Draco. "Your Dark Mark is like a muggle tattoo right?"

Draco nodded, not liking this line of questioning.

"We have a patient who is a wonderful tattoo artist. Would you like me to give you his contact information?"

The relief he felt was instant.

"I would love that."

Her smile was brilliant. "I'll get the address of his shop for you!"

"How soon?"

Richard snorted.

In her room, Hermione once more stood before an enchanted and enlarged mirror. Cissa and the seamstress were talking in hushed tones. All the while, Hermione chewed on her lip and anxiously smoothed her hands over the perfect material. Near perfect, according to the witches behind her. She'd barely heard anything they'd said during the final fitting. She had tried to engage with Cissa but even she ended up giving Hermione space when she realized Hermione wasn't in the right mental state for conversation.

Draco had been acting off the night before, and he'd barely looked at her all morning before disappearing with Theo after breakfast. They'd been pretty attached since Dotty brought her to the Manor. He'd braved the Burrow and the Weasleys, par Ron, had been as welcoming as ever. So the shift in him made it so she couldn't help but wonder if something was wrong.

A knock on her bedroom door had her snapping out of her stupor and turning to watch as Narcissa hurried to the door to keep anyone but who she deemed fit allowed.

Still nervously perfecting her gown, Hermione couldn't help but smirk hearing Narcissa try to fend off Theo.

"But mum Lucius sent me with this."

"Oh yes! Hand it over, please. No, Theodore, you cannot come in."

"It's just a dress, honestly," Theo sounded so exasperated that Hermione smiled.

Narcissa scoffed, "'Just a dress', how disrespectful to the craft." Hermione watched as the older witch reached out of the door and yanked Theo inside. Pointing at Hermione Narcissa looked smug, "Tell me that that is 'just a dress' again."

Theo looked at Hermione as directed, and his jaw dropped.

"Salazar Hermione." Awkwardly rubbing the back of his neck Theo coughed before looking at the seamstress, "My apologies." The witch nodded in recognition and Theo absently handed a large box to Narcissa. "He's going to lose his mind."

The anxiety settled in her chest again. Turning back to the mirror, Hermione didn't comment, and Theo frowned. Sharing a look with Narcissa, he left her to look over the jewelry Lucius had set with him and walked towards the conjured dias Hermione was perched on.

"Do you not like it?"

"What?" Her eyes re-focused as she looked at him. "Oh, no, I love it."

"Don't sound so enthusiastic."

Smirking in a way that didn't reach her eyes, Hermione smoothed out the skirt of her dress again. "Is Draco alright?"

The shock at her change of subject was clear on his face, but he bounced back quickly enough, "He should be back soon, and we'll see."

"Can you tell me where he went?"

The way she asked made him stop and actually look a her instead of looking at her through the reflection. "Hermione?" When she didn't look at him, he crowded her on the dias and grabbed her face, forcing her as gently as possible to look at him. "Are you occluding?"

"No. But I want to."

Now, he looked mad. "Why?"

"It's not healthy, I know that," she whispered, "But I feel so...I feel like there is a weight on my chest."

"All the time?"

"This week."

"That's understandable. What's been helping? Because it's seemed like you'd been fine."

"Draco...he's my anchor."

"And him being gone makes you feel like you're drowning?"

She nodded.

"Are you worried it was you think it's unhealthy to need him that way or because he was acting oddly this morning?"

The relief on her face was palpable. "Yes."

"This week is a vulnerable one for you, Hermione. A year ago you were in the middle of a war and had been tortured in a way that made adults before you break. Then you had to keep going and go fight in a battle, literally. You haven't allowed yourself time to truly process what happened to you. So yes, you're allowed to want the one person who makes it better for you. Even if it's Draco," she let out a watery giggle. "As for the why that idiot was acting like a right idiot this morning, " Theo stopped like he was considering something before huffing, "He's going to kill me. He's visiting your parents."

"What?"

"Theo!" Narcissa startled.

"Nosey," he said in a hushed voice. If it hadn't been for the panic coursing through her, Hermione would have laughed.

"Theodore Elli Nott, what did you just say?"

"That is not his middle name," Narcissa chuckled despite herself.

"He is visiting your parents," Theo repeated, "He wanted to introduce himself and try to make amends without you there as a buffer."

"Why?" Her voice was a hushed whisper.

Theo shrugged, "Fuck if I understand it. I reckon he comes back maimed."

Stepped off the dias and around Theo, Hermione hurried to the door. It opened before she could reach it and Draco fumbled inside, "Theo, you better not be in here. Father said..."

His voice trailed off as he took in Hermione. "My parents?"

Draco cursed, finally looking at her and not her gown. Looking around her he glared at Theo who was smirking.

"Draco!"

"Yes, Princess?"

Ignoring his grin, Hermione stepped into his space, "You went to see my parents?"

"I did."

"Why?"

"Those reasons are mine, love," she opened her mouth to respond but Draco put a finger on her lips, silencing her, "It went well."

He watched as her face transformed from what he realized was worry to relief, "It did?"

Draco looped his arms around her waist. "I think I'm growing on your father. Your mother is a saint. She helped me book a tattoo appointment."

"And if I had wanted to be there?"

"I understand that, but Princess, I had amends to make and explanations to give, and I couldn't do that with you there giving me your forgiveness." Kissing her forehead, he sighed as he took in her perfect sugary scent, "You look beyond words."

Hermione felt the warmth of the blush on her cheeks. Tucking herself against him, she let her racing heart calm. She wanted to know more about his visit but for now, she just wanted to be around him. "Dragon," she sighed. His grip on her tightened in response.

"Alright," a stern voice cut in.

Against her, Draco stiffened, "shit."

Looking at his mother, Draco grimaced. "Say goodbye and get," she pointed at the door. And don't even think about looking away from her eyes as you do. Theo, get him out."

Happy Narcissa's ire was no longer directed at him, Theo quickly left the room, slapping a hand over Draco's eyes as he dragged him out with him. Hermione was back at the dias as the door closed, Narcissa at her side.

"He's a good young man."

"He's insane," Hermione scoffed, "My father would have made Voldemort look like Dolores Umbridge. I'm amazed he's back in one piece."

Narcissa grinned, "Richard is like Lucius, he bows to the whims of his wife." Hermione chuckled, "Helen set him straight, I know it. Oh!" She clapped her hands together in excitement, "Do you think they would come to tea? I need to write Helen!"

Hermione was still laughing as Narcissa disappeared from the room.